Starting mechanism for internal-combustion engines



A. CHURCHWARD.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES. APPLICATION FILED MAY 28, I919.

1 ,350,703, Patented Aug. 24-, 1920.

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A. CHURCHWARD. STARTING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28. I919- Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

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INVENTOR.

I I l ,1 I I I II :I I I WITNESS:

A TTORNEY.

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER GHURCHWARD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 24, 1920.

Application filed May 28, 1919. Serial No. 300,483.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER CHURCH- wano, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Starting Mechanisms for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to starting mechanisms for internal combustion engines; for example, automobile engines. My invention specifically relates to a starting mechanism for the Ford automobile. With my invention, an electric starting mechanism can be added to the Ford automobile without any change in the relative arrangement or location or size of the important components, such as the fly wheel, magneto and transmission, and within the clearances provided in said Ford automobile.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the engine and transmission casing of a Ford auto mobile, and a starting mechanism therefor, and embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top view of Fig. 1 except that the hood, dash-board, floor and foot-levers are omitted.

Fig. 3 is a detail view in vertical section, showing the fiy wheel of the Ford trans- -mission system, which however is provided with teeth, and the gear comprised in the starting mechanism, and embodying my invention.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and showing a Bendix gear and its relation to the fly wheel of the Ford transmission system.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing a modification and embodying my invention.

Similar reference characters refer to corresponding parts in all of the figures.

Referring now to the drawings, A designates an internal combustion engine, and B a crank case, which as usual incloses the crank shaft of the en ine. C designates a transmission case which as usual includes the.

transmission mechanism. In the drawings I have generally illustrated these parts as being of the-Ford type except that the easing for the Ford system of transmission is changed as hereinafter described.

The casing C incloses the well known Ford transmission system. This is so well known and understood that I have omitted be started, by a gear h comprised in the well known Bendix drive, an example of which is shown in Patent No. 1,116,369 granted November 10th, 1914.

Also in carrying out my invention, the casing C is formed with two oppositely arranged openings 0, 0 The opening 0 is to receive a shaft of the starting motor while the opening 0 is to receive a Bendix drive which is fixed on said shaft. The casing C is also slightly enlarged at -the portion o in order to receive the motor shaft and Bendix drive.

F designates an electric motor which is of any well known form, suitable for starting the Ford engine A. The motor is bolted to the transmission casing C, and at the point of bolting an oil tight union is made. f designates a shaft which is driven by the motor F, and which extends into the casing C. The shaft f is suitably journaled intermediate its ends in a bearing f carried by a bracket f here shown as being integral with a head of the motor. An oil sleeve 7 surrounds the shaft between the bearing f and the head of the motor to prevent the flow of oil from the transmission easing into the electric motor.

It will be observed that the bearing f is located between the stationary magneto coil support and the fly wheel. This arrangement has two advantages, one of which is that a bearing support is provided for the shaft f at a point where the maximum strain occurs at starting, and therefore allows of a small diameter shaft being used which is necessary, due to the small clearances in the Ford transmission; and the other of which advantages is that an end thrust block is provided for the Bendix drive.

Opposite the starting motor and its casing, and bolted to the casing C, is a cap or casing G which incloses the well known Bendix drive H. This drive as is Well known is a complete unit, and is fixed upon the shaft f. Its operation is also well understood, and briefl stated is, that when the electric motor F is started, the gear it travels along the screw h to engage the SET teeth e of the fly wheel E. When the engine A. is started the electric motor T3 is stopped, and the gear k is automatically disengaged from the H wheel and returned to its initial postion Fig. 4).

Tn order to provide for the insertion of the shaft 7 into the casing C without in anyway changing the location, size or clearances in the magneto and transmission, I'provide a peripheral notch or recess (1 in the stationary support D. This notch or recess 65 (see Fig. 3) is between two of the magneto coils and opposite the opening in the casing C through which the shaft f extends. After the shaft 7 is placed in position within the casing C, the electric motor F is bolted to the transmission casing C. The Bendix drive H is then placed in position on the shaft f through the opening in the casing C opposite the motor F and fastened to the shaft f. The cap or casing G is then bolted to the casing C.

Tn Fig. 5, T have shown a modification of my invention. Tn this arrangement the bearing f carried in. the bracket f is omitted, and a bearing 9' is provided for the shaft f in the casing G.

T have notshown any control for the electric starting mptor as any of the well-known types may obviously be used, as all that is required is that the motor F be kept running until the engine A is started, after which current is cut ofi from the motor T Having thus described my invention,

mission casing; a shaft driven by said motor and extending into said casin and through the recess in the magneto c011 support; a bearing for said shaft intermediate its ends and carried by said motor casing; a screw carried by said shaft; and a gear mounted to travel on said screw for cooperation with the gear teeth of said fly wheel.

2. In combination, a transmission comprising a stationary magneto coil support and a fly wheel, said'support being provided with a peripheral recess and the fly wheel with gear teeth; a casing for said transmission; an electric starting motor; a casing therefor supported by said transmission casing; a shaft driven by said starting motor and extending into said transmission casing through the peripheral recess in the stationary plate; a bearing for said shaft intermediate its ends and carried. by the motor casing; a sleeve on said shaft to prevent oil flowing into the casing for the electric starting motor from the transmission casing; a screw carried by said shaft; and a gear arranged to travel on said screw for cooperation with the gear teeth of said fiy wheel.

3. In combination, a transmission system, comprising a fly wheel and a stationary magneto coil support; an electric starting motor; a shaft driven thereby, and a bearing for said shaft located between the fly. wheel and the stationary magneto coil sup port.

Tn testimony where T aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALEXANDER GHURCHWARD.

Witnesses:

GEO. E. CRUsE, MARCIA E. BRowN. 

